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Standalone Books in Order
Below you'll find the complete list of Standalone books in publication order. This is generally the recommended reading order for the series.
Reading order verified: April 2026
Quick Answer
What order should I read the Standalone series? Start with "Summer Bird Cage" (1963) and follow publication order through all 19 books.
The complete Standalone reading order is listed below in publication sequence.
Publication Order
Summer Bird Cage
1963
The Garrick Year
1964
The Millstone
1965
Jerusalem the Golden
1967
The Waterfall
1969
The Needle's Eye
1972
The Realms Of Gold
1975
The Ice Age
1977
The Middle Ground
1980
The Witch of Exmoor
1997
The Peppered Moth
2001
The Seven Sisters
2002
The Red Queen
2004
The Sea Lady
2006
The Pure Gold Baby
2013
The Dark Flood Rises
2016
A Day in the Life of a Smiling Woman
2011
The Gifts of War
2011
The Plays of Margaret Drabble
2018
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